The FSU-Miami Diary

Bloggin' on Labor Day with the Seminoles and Hurricanes:

8:05pm - Just got off the set of our pregame show, which I thought went pretty well. Good information, tight interviews, nobody got hurt. However, could Osceola have thrown us a bone and tossed the freaking spear while we were still on the air? And for those who missed the pregame show, the unequivocal highlight was the 40-year-old film footage of current FSU president T.K. Wetherell running a lateral back for a touchdown against Miami. As Terry Norvelle said on the air, "T.K. has got to be the fastest university president in the country."

8:06 - What just happened with the spear? Did Renegade get lost on the way to the 50? How could I miss a horse?

8:10 - Wow, does Brent Musberger look old. And did I ever tell you that when I first moved from Orlando to Connecticut, I rented Jack Arute's old condo? Well, I did.

8:20 - Missed FG attempt in Miami's first possession. Kyle Wright attempted one pass, and why not - Tyrone Moss looked like he was on the field alone. Somebody tackle that kid, or it will be a long night in Tally.

8:22 - Turnover! Hester fumbles a punt. Huge. Games like this are won and lost on...wait a minute...

8:23 - Our first experience with the new ACC replay system. Great news, it's just as stupefying as the NFL's replay system. Just sucks the life right out of the building. I know, I know, it's important to get the calls right, but come on. I'm looking at a live shot of a referee wearing headsets. This is FSU and Miami, for the love of Christmas.

8:26 - The ref makes his announcement: "Upon further review, it was determined that the Florida State player recovered the football (huge roar as the ref starts to shake his head) while out of bounds. Psyche!"

8:27 - And who cares? Another turnover. Wright's first interception at Miami. I just called the Heisman people and told them to hold off for a while. FSU is on the 30.

8:29 - Then again, Weatherford isn't setting the world on fire, either. This could be a long night.

8:30 - Time out. Weatherford and his center are not on the same page. Did I say potentially ugly game? Yes, I think I did.

8:34 - Touchdown, Florida State. Raise your hand if you predicted that the first touchdown of this game would be scored by fullback James Coleman. Okay, all of you with your hands up? You're lying.

8:40 - Wright almost picked off again. Miami punts. Did I mention that we have a one-hour postgame show still coming tonight? Could we pick up the pace a little, fellas?

8:41 - Mmmmm...Dr. Pepper...

8:44 - Brent gives us his first "Thunder and Lightning" reference regarding Booker and Washington, and in the same breath, touches on the Jeff Bowden hot seat. Don't empty the barrel yet, Brent. Lot of football left.

8:46 - And on that note, who needs a QB when you have Booker and Washington? Thirty yards in two carries, even with Miami stacking the line. B.J. Dean may get a game ball if this keeps up.

8:48 - Complete bios from Brent on David Castillo (wants to go to medical school) and Matt Meinrod (hurt in last year's Miami game, strongest player on the team). I'm telling you, at this pace, The Burgermeister will be singing show tunes in the fourth quarter. You've gotta pace yourself.

8:49 - Field goal, with the token "wide right or wide left" reference. 10-0 FSU.

8:53 - First crappy call of the night. Pass interference against FSU. Love the call from Miami, though. It's about time they tested the FSU secondary.

8:57 - Uh oh, another FG attempt...Peattie is zero for two. Larry Coker looks like he wants to impale himself on something. What is it about this series and field goals?

8:59 - End of the first. Time for dinner. Catch you later in the 2nd.

9:37 - Mmmmm, turkey sub. What did I miss? Kyle Wright just threw the best pump fake I've ever seen, finding Ryan Moore for the first Hurricane TD. At this point, Wright is warming to the job faster than Weatherford. Now if only one of his receivers could catch a ball...

9:57 - Halftime. While surfing the net, I found this note at GatorCountry.com, from someone who calls himself DoctorF: "Let's see. Miami has missed 2 field goals, thrown 2 interceptions, had a ton of penalties, an ejection, Hester has messed up every special teams opportunity, their receivers drop everything, they are playing on the road and they are still only down by 3. They are dominating this game, but lucky to still be in it." Doc, I am flat-out stealing your post, because I happen to agree. The over/under on the first Xavier Lee appearance in the second half of this game has just been set at 5:00 in the third quarter.

10:10 - It just occurred to me that the first half took two hours. I might get to bed by Wednesday.

10:17 - And we're back! WOW, does Brent look old. Great guy to work with, though. When he used to do live hits on ESPNews, he would ask me a few questions before we went on the air and then say things like, "As you and I were talking about, Whit" while we were live. It made us sound like old friends, as if we had a regular racquetball game every Thursday or something. You have to be a TV guy to understand. A pro's pro. I realize, of course, that a lot of college football fans despise him. Whatever, dude.

10:35 - Just spent five minutes speaking with one of my co-workers about the events on the Gulf Coast. I'm spent. The mind is beginning to wander.

10:37 - Fourth and goal for FSU after an inspired stand by the Hurricanes. Out comes the field goal unit. After a flag, the Weed yanks a 26-yarder. Wide left. We have officially entered the Twilight Zone. If Miami wins this game by three or less, you can point to that play, and that drive. FSU had first and goal after a blocked punt and came away with zippo.

10:45 - Memo to Florida State: the Wright kid is starting to feel it. You might want to avoid the dumb penalties in the defensive backfield, because he doesn't need the help.

10:50 - Then again, Tyrone Moss has been cramping up, and that puts a big load on Wright. His wideouts need to step up. FSU has suddenly sprung to life on defense. Miami punts, pinning the Noles inside the five.

10:52 - GREAT call by J. Bowden. Weatherford dumps a screen to Washington for a first down, getting the Seminoles out of their own end zone. The drive goes nowhere. Punt.

10:57 - Not that it matters, because Miami hasn't converted on third down all night. Another punt.

10:59 - We are past my over/under on Lee entering the game, and we just saw a sideline shot of the X-Man looking way pissed. He thought he was going in. Brent has just called for him. The Noles burn another time out, leaving them with one. If Weatherford stalls on this drive, I'm betting the house on Lee.

11:04 - Why do all punters have beer bellies? Another punt. The crowd goes wild, however, because Xavier Lee is warming up on the sideline. I think I'll get to keep my house.

11:11 - He is the X-Man. He is the Walrus. Coo coo ca-choo. Xavier Lee has entered the building. The house stays with me. First call - a reverse, first down. Heeeere we go.

11:13 - Let me be the first to ask - where the hell were all these trick plays two hours ago? Oh yeah, and FSU just called its final time out. Whoopee.

11:15 - Gotta pack up the computer and take it down to the set. Don't let them do anything interesting for the next ten minutes, okay?

11:35 - I lied, twenty minutes. Miami driving. Kyle Wright is all that and a bag of chips. The good news for FSU fans - the defense has shown up. The good news for Miami fans, from this evening forward - you've found your quarterback.

11:36 - In the name of all that is holy, please miss this field goal. I'm not rooting against Miami. I'm rooting for a bedtime on the good side of 2am.

11:37 - He missed it. Oh. My. God. I don't even know where to start with this.

11:41 - Weatherford back in. What, are they saving Lee now?

11:42 - I hate to toot my own horn, because I hear far too many TV guys do it, but: on three different radio shows over the last week, I predicted that this would be an ugly game offensively, that playmakers and special teams would make the difference, and that both Weatherford and Lee would appear. I'm just sayin'. Also, on Rec Warehouse College Kickoff last Friday, I picked Florida State to win - mostly because Terry, Brady, the ESPN guys, my plumber, his accountant, Paris Hilton, the Pope, and every human in the Western Hemisphere who cared was picking Miami. Hey, there's no pictures on a scoreboard, baby.

11:43 - Off to our live postgame show. Then, to bed. See you Friday night.